Hundreds are dead following a mosque attack in Egypt, and here’s what we know
We are living at a time where we can’t seem to go more than a few weeks without a violent event. Every single day, there is a new piece of heartbreaking news. This week was no different. At least 305 people were killed during a mosque attack in Egypt, The New York Times reports. Officials are calling it the deadliest terror attack in the country’s modern history.
On Friday, November 24th, a bomb went off in a crowded mosque in Sinai in the small town of Bir al-Abd, killing hundreds. The death count was reported at 235. But as of Saturday, November 25th, it has risen to 305, including 27 children. More than 128 are reportedly injured.
The bombing happened during Friday prayers. When worshipers tried to flee, they were met by more than 25 masked gunmen who open fired on the crowd, USA Today reports. They were carrying automatic weapons and the Islamic State flag. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack in Egypt is even more upsetting due to its location. An attack on a mosque is pretty rare in Egypt, according to the NYT.
“The scene was horrific,” Ibrahim Sheteewi, a resident of Bir al-Abed, told the NYT. “The bodies were scattered on the ground outside the mosque.”
Ebid Salem Mansour, a witness who suffered two gunshot wounds in the legs, described the scene. “If you raised your head you get shot,” he told the Associated Press, USA Today reports. “The shooting was random and hysterical at the beginning and then became more deliberate: Whoever they weren’t sure was dead or still breathing was shot dead.”
The NYT quoted a medical official who described the overflow of patients at the hospital. “We are swamped,” they said, asking to remain anonymous. “We don’t know what to say. This is insane.”
President Trump used the act of terror to reinforce why he thinks the United States needs a border wall with Mexico and restrictions on immigration.
Will be calling the President of Egypt in a short while to discuss the tragic terrorist attack, with so much loss of life. We have to get TOUGHER AND SMARTER than ever before, and we will. Need the WALL, need the BAN! God bless the people of Egypt.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017
On Friday night, the Eiffel Tower went dark to honor the victims.
WATCH: The Eiffel Tower goes dark to honor the victims of an attack on a mosque in Egypt. pic.twitter.com/TLDzHDI7K3
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 24, 2017
We are full of sorrow for the victims, survivors, and people of Egypt. Our hearts are with them.
